Diode laser irradiation and electrotherapy system for biological tissue stimulation

Abstract

An irradiation and electrotherapy system for treating biological tissue of a subject without exposing the tissue to damaging effects. The system includes a manipulable wand for contact with the tissue, a diode laser disposed in the wand for irradiating the tissue with coherent optical energy, a metal sheath for providing electrical stimulation to the tissue, and setting controls for operating the wand to achieve a rate of absorption and conversion to heat in the irradiated tissue in a range between a minimum rate sufficient to elevate the average temperature of the irradiated tissue to a level above the basal body temperature of the subject, and a maximum rate which is less than the rate at which the irradiated tissue is converted into a collagenous substance.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for treating biological tissue of a subject without exposing the tissue to damaging effects, the system comprising: 
 a manipulable wand for contact with the tissue;    a diode laser for emitting irradiation light disposed in the wand for irradiating the tissue with coherent optical energy having a wavelength less than one thousand and sixty four nanometers; and    setting controls coupled to the wand for operating the irradiation emitted from the laser diode to achieve a rate of absorption and conversion to heat in the irradiated tissue in a range between a minimum rate sufficient to elevate the average temperature of the irradiated tissue to a level above the basal body temperature of the subject, and a maximum rate which is less than the rate at which the irradiated tissue is converted into a collagenous substance.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a metal sheath coupled to the setting controls and mounted onto an end of the wand for emitting electrical current to stimulate the tissue; and  
 a strap coupled to the setting controls for providing a ground for the metal sheath, the strap being tied to the wrist of a patient while the patient is receiving electrical stimulation.  
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the irradiation and the electrical stimulation occur simultaneously.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the setting controls comprise a time control for setting the irradiation treatment time, a current level control for setting the level of electrical stimulation, and a power control for setting the power level of the emitted light.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the setting controls comprise a pulse/continuous mode control for setting the diode laser to operate in a continuous wattage mode of operation or in a pulsed wattage mode of operation.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein in the continous mode, the energy density produced is in the range of 0.01 W/mm 2  to 0.04 W/mm 2 .  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5  wherein in the pulsed wattage mode, the pulse/continuous mode control selects the number of light pulses-per-second emitted from the laser diode.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5  wherein in the pulsed wattage mode, the pulse/continuous mode control selects the ratio of on-to-off pulsing.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the setting controls include an impedance control for calibrating an impedance reading of the tissue.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the setting controls include a programmed setting control for saving and recalling selected settings.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising means for focussing the energy emitted by the diode laser to a treatment area in the range of about 0.5 m 2  to about 2 mm 2 .  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the wand comprises a conductive bar supporting the diode laser at one end thereof, an insulative sleeve over the bar, and cooling fins connected to the bar for transferring heat to the surrounding air.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the wand includes an impedance sensor for contact with the tissue for measuring impedance of the tissue being treated.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the wand includes a feedback sensor for measuring the output from the diode laser, the sensor being connected to a feedback circuit for monitoring the accuracy of the setting controls.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a time display for displaying the treatment time remaining for a treatment time selected using the setting controls.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a power display or displaying a treatment power output selected using the setting controls.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising a calibration port for calibrating the settings of the wand by placing the wand in proximity to the port.  
     
     
         18 . A method for treating biological tissue of a subject using an irradiation and electrotherapy system, the method comprising: 
 manipulating a wand in contact with the tissue, the wand including a laser diode disposed in the wand for irradiating the tissue with coherent optical energy having a wavelength less than one thousand and sixty four nanometers and a metal sheath disposed about the contact end of the wand for electrically stimulating the tissue; and    operating the wand, using setting controls of the system, to achieve a rate of absorption and conversion to heat in the irradiated tissue in a range between a minimum rate sufficient to elevate the average temperature of the irradiated tissue to a level above the basal body temperature of the subject, and a maximum rate which is less than the rate at which the irradiated tissue is converted into a collagenous substance.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the step of operating the wand using the setting controls comprises setting the irradiation treatment time, the level of electrical current, the power level, isolation frequency of the electrical current, and the pulse/continuous operating mode of the wand to selected parameters according to a treatment protocol.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the coherent optical energy emitted from the wand occurs simultaneous to the electrical stimulation.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the electrical current emitted from the wand is less than about five hundred microamps and in the range of about five Hertz to about eighteen Hertz.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising focussing the energy emitted from the wand to a treatment area in the range of about 0.5 mm 2 to about 2 mm 2 .  
     
     
         23 . A diode laser irradiation system for treating biological tissue of a subject without exposing the tissue to damaging thermal effects, the system comprising: 
 a manipulable wand for contact with the tissue;    a diode laser disposed in the wand for irradiating the tissue with coherent optical energy at a power output level of less than one thousand milliwatts; and    laser setting controls for operating the diode laser to achieve a rate of absorption and conversion to heat in the irradiated tissue in a range between a minimum rate sufficient to elevate the average temperature of the irradiated tissue to a level above the basal body temperature of the subject, and a maximum rate which is less than the rate at which the irradiated tissue is converted into a collagenous substance.    
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the laser setting controls comprise a time control for setting the irradiation treatment time and a power control for setting the power revel of the diode laser.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the laser setting controls comprise a pulse/continuous mode control for setting the diode laser to operate in a continuous wattage mode of operation or in a pulsed wattage mode of operation.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein in the continous mode, the energy density produced is in the range of 0.01 W/mm 2  to 0.04 W/mm 2 .  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25  wherein in the pulsed wattage mode, the pulse/continuous mode control selects the number of light pulses-per-second emitted by the laser diode.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25  wherein in the pulsed wattage mode, the pulse/continuous mode control selects the ratio of on-to-off pulsing of the laser diode.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the laser setting controls include an impedance control for calibrating an impedance reading of the tissue.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the laser setting controls include a programmed setting control for saving and recalling s elected laser settings.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the coherent optical energy emitted by the diode laser has a wavelength of less than about 2500 nanometers.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the coherent optical energy emitted by the diode laser has a wavelength of about 1064 nanometers.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 23  further comprising means for focussing the energy emitted by the diode laser to a treatment area in the range of about 0.5 mm 2  to about 2 mm 2 .  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the diode laser is an Indium doped Gallium Arsenide diode laser.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the wand comprises a conductive bar supporting the diode laser at one end thereof, an insulative sleeve over the bar, and cooling fins connected to the bar for transferring heat generated by the diode laser to the surrounding air.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the wand includes an impedance sensor for contact with the tissue for measuring impedance of the tissue being treated.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the wand includes a feedback sensor for measuring the output of the diode laser, the sensor being connected to a feedback circuit for monitoring the accuracy of the setting controls.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 23  further comprising a time display for displaying the treatment time remaining for a treatment time selected using the setting controls.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 23  further comprising a power display or displaying a treatment power output selected using the setting controls.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 23  further comprising a calibration port for calibrating the settings of the diode laser by placing the wand in proximity to the port.  
     
     
         41 . A method for treating biological tissue of a subject using a diode laser irradiation system, the method comprising: 
 manipulating a wand in contact with the tissue, the wand including a diode laser disposed in the wand for irradiating the tissue with coherent optical energy at a power output level of less than one thousand milliwatts; and    operating the diode laser, using laser setting controls of the system, to achieve a rate of absorption and conversion to heat in the irradiated tissue in a range between a minimum rate sufficient to elevate the average temperature of the irradiated tissue to a level above the basal body temperature of the subject, and a maximum rate which is less than the rate at which the irradiated tissue is converted into a collagenous substance.    
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the step of operating the diode laser using the laser setting controls comprises setting the irradiation treatment time, the power level and the pulse/continuous operating mode of the diode laser to selected parameters according to a treatment protocol.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the coherent optical energy emitted by the diode laser has a wavelength of less than about 2500 nanometers.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the coherent optical energy emitted by the diode laser has a wavelength of about 1064 nanometers.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41  further comprising focussing the energy emitted by the diode laser to a treatment area in the range of about 0.5 mm 2  to about 2 mm 2 .